Crowd-pleasing strata is easy to make (ahead!) for brunch when you follow this simple ratio and technique.

The custardy, bready, cheesy breakfast strata casserole is one of my favorite things to make when entertaining guests for brunch. I love that I can assemble it the night before and pop it in the oven as soon as I wake up. And in the hour or so that it bakes, I can focus on becoming an awake and lively hostess.

The main strata ingredients are breakfast staples, but it doesn't have to stop there—I've made some excellent strata suppers before. That's the great thing about strata: it can be whatever you want it to be. Just follow this simple ratio:

1. Start With a Buttered Baking Dish, and Fill it With Bread

Choose an oven-proof baking dish that's about the right size to feed however many people you're planning on serving. Grease it up good with some butter or oil, then fill it with bite-size pieces of bread. You can use any kind of bread: sliced sandwich bread, crusty loaf, even gluten-free bread. Loosely pack the bread into your baking dish—you don't want it to go higher than the top of the dish, though you can leave it shallower if you want to yield a thinner strata. Now measure that bread: pack it into a measuring cup and take note of the total volume. When using an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish I yielded about four cups of cubed bread. Whatever your amount is, remember it.

If you're baking the strata that day, return the bread to the baking dish. Baking it the next day? Transfer the bread to a rimmed baking sheet and slide it into a 250°F oven. Bake your bread pieces just until they're barely starting to crisp on the outside, 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size. Let cool completely before assembling.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

2. Use half the volume of milk and eggs as bread

A mixture of equal parts eggs and milk is what forms the quiche-like filling of the strata. Whatever volume the bread yielded, use half of that measurement for your milk as well as your eggs.

So if you had four cups of bread, you'll want two cups of milk and two cups of eggs (about eight large eggs—to measure eggs by volume, simply crack them into a measuring cup until the total amount of eggs reaches the desired point). Pour the milk and the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until they're well combined.

3. Flavor your liquid base

Season your egg and milk mixture with some salt and pepper and whatever else you want it to taste like: a spoonful of mustard, a splash of hot sauce, a pinch of paprika, or a whisper of nutmeg. Consider some finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme, or a grating of lemon zest. Whisk it all together. If you're cool with raw eggs (I am), have a taste and then adjust the seasoning.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

4. Use About the Same Volume of Shredded Cheese as Milk

You need some cheese in there to get everything cheesy and delicious, right? Your strata can hold up to equal parts cheese as milk and eggs. If you want a little less cheese (who are you?!) you can use a bit less. So if you used two cups each of milk and eggs, use about two cups of shredded cheese. Any meltable cheese will work here: Monterey Jack, mozzarella, cheddar, fontina or gruyère. You can also add some crumbled fresh goat or blue cheese or grated Parm or sliced Brie for flavor—just make sure to pair it with a mild meltable cheese like Monterey Jack or mozzarella for the best strata texture. When you've picked and measured a cheese, toss it with the bread in the pan, leaving a handful behind to scatter on top before baking.

5. Add Some Extras

If you want your strata to have more going on in it than eggs and cheese (you might not), you can add up to equal parts add-ins as cheese. Only rule here is that unless it's a tender fresh thing like scallions or asparagus, the add-ins should be cooked and cooled completely before added to the strata. Fry up some sliced bacon or some sausage pieces, or cut up a ham steak. Or how about some sautéedcherry tomatoes and/or mushrooms? You're in charge. Right now I love the combo of cheddar cheese, ham, and scallions with a good dose of dijon mustard in the liquid base. I'm also always into the combo of fried mushrooms, tomatoes, and bacon with fontina cheese, red chili flakes, and fresh thyme. Mix your cooled add-ins into the bread and cheese mixture.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

6. Assemble your Strata, and Let it Sit

Pour the milk and egg mixture over the top over the mix of bread, cheese, and add-ins. Press the bread down with your hands to make sure it's covered in liquid. Top it all off with your reserved cheese, and let the unbaked strata sit on the counter at least half an hour while you preheat your oven to 350°F. If you're not going to bake it right away (and you crisped up your bread pieces in the oven), cover it with foil and store it in the fridge overnight, then let it sit on the counter at least half an hour before baking so it's not so chilled.

7. Bake your Strata

Before you bake it, cover your strata tightly with foil, and bake it for about 20 minutes at 350°F. Open up the oven, uncover the strata, and continue baking until the cheese is melted on top and the egg custard is set, 15 to 30 minutes more depending on the depth of your strata. Check often so you don't overcook it: you'll know it's set when the center doesn't jiggle when shaken. Remove it from the oven and let it cool at least 5 minutes before digging in—the only bad strata is a strata that burns the roof of your mouth.